


The Rose and the Thorn

by Anthemyst



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Beauty and the Beast AU, F/M, gabe is oblivious no matter what au i put him in, gabenath, gabenath mini bang, gabenath mini bang 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:02:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24390088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anthemyst/pseuds/Anthemyst
Summary: Gabriel is a nobleman cursed to be a beast, and only true love can break his curse-but Gabriel’s wife died years ago, and his heart has long since hardened. Convinced the answer to his curse lies in resurrecting Emilie, Gabriel casts an ancient spell and accidentally summons a young merchant’s daughter into his curse.Nathalie adjusts surprisingly well to her new life in the Agreste manor; the solitude of the curse suits her, and she quickly grows fond of the beast’s son, Adrien. She agrees to help Gabriel with his quest to resurrect Emilie, but as time goes on her love for the harsh beast deepens. Nathalie is torn: Helping Gabriel resurrect his lost love means losing him, but if Nathalie listens to her heart she might doom herself, Gabriel and Adrien to be cursed forever. Will true love prevail?Written for Gabenath Mini Bang 2020
Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Comments: 51
Kudos: 100
Collections: GabeNath Mini Bang 2020





	1. The Curse

Nathalie Sancoeur was quite beautiful, but men seldom realized it. Her face was lovely, but the view of it was usually blocked by some book or other. On the rare occasion she deigned to look up and meet a gentleman’s eye, her stare was cold and calculating. On the even rarer occasion she deigned to speak with a gentleman, she made him aware within minutes how much smarter than him she was. With only one exception, men found her intimidating, almost frightening.

That one exception, unfortunately, was her father.

“No thank you,” Nathalie had told her father, when he informed her of her engagement. “I don’t wish to marry Lord Stone.”

“Who is it that has your heart then, my love?” For though he was undaunted by his unusual daughter, he loved her dearly. “Name the man, and I’ll see you married off to him instead.”

“There is no man, Father,” Nathalie said patiently. “My books have my heart.”

“I hardly think Lord Stone will consider it an infidelity if you continue to read after you are wed, dear one,” her father replied, chuckling.

Nathalie sighed. “I have no wish to be a wife, nor mother,” she said. “I just want to be free.”

“No one on this earth is free, love,” her father said. “The best we can do is pick our cage. And the cage of a wife is a far nicer one than the cage of a spinster, especially the wife of a rich lord. I cannot live forever. Before I die, I must see you and your sisters wed, or you will all fall into ruin.”

“But-”

“It is not up for discussion, my heart,” her father said warmly, kissing her cheek. “If you are truly indifferent to all men, I may as well marry you off to the one who will provide well for you and help pay off my debts.”

Nathalie didn’t argue, either then or in the coming days of her engagement. It would do no good, for starters, but more than that, Nathalie had to admit her father had a point. Though it annoyed her to no end to have to marry, Nathalie knew that being a rich noblewoman was far better than being destitute. Besides, with any luck her fiance would die well before her, and Nathalie would be a widow, with all the freedom of a single woman and none of the social stigma. In the meantime, who knew? Perhaps this lord traveled to far-off cities with grand libraries and universities, perhaps he even had a library of his very own. A girl could dream, couldn’t she?

* * *

Nathalie had more or less made peace with her fate by the end of her engagement. In what felt like the blink of an eye the arrangements had all been made: the dress, the cake, the banquet. Nathalie’s sisters were terribly excited to be bridesmaids, so at least someone would enjoy the day. For her part, Nathalie was only looking forward to all the fuss being over, so she could get on with the more important task of figuring out her new life as a wife, and how she could devote as much of it as possible to her books. She’d have a household to run, but she’d been doing that for her father since her mother had died. Her fiance’s household would be much larger of course, but on the other hand he had professional servants instead of well-meaning but generally useless little sisters. Nathalie was an expert of efficiency, especially if she was particularly motivated to-

“Nathalie?”

Nathalie looked up. All three of her sisters were staring at her in concern, the various flower arrangements they’d been preparing for the festivities tomorrow half-formed and scattered around their small living room. Nathalie looked back down at the bouquet in her own hands. While her mind had wandered to thoughts of her future life, Nathalie’s hands had idly wrapped two white dahlias together with an excessive amount of ribbon.

“Are you all right, Nathalie?” her next-oldest sister Penny asked, face full of concern.

Nathalie nodded. “Just… thinking about tomorrow,” she said, which was at least half-true. Her sisters all grinned and nodded understandingly. Nathalie looked back at her work and quickly unwound the ribbon. Two flowers were hardly enough for a bridal bouquet. She reached for more. Their small dining table was currently littered with them, a small number of expensive blooms interspersed with a bevy of wildflowers from the nearby fields.

A flash of red caught in the corner of Nathalie’s eye. She turned to look out the window, then adjusted her glasses and squinted. The sun had set hours earlier, but some beam of moonlight must have caught a red rose in the distance, for it almost seemed to glow near the boundary of the dark woods.

“How did we miss that?” Nathalie murmured to herself.

“Miss what?” her middle sister, Celeste, asked.

Nathalie pointed. “That rose, out where we were picking flowers. It would brighten up my bouquet, don’t you think?”

Celeste frowned and looked out the window. “I don’t see any rose.”

“It’s just a speck at this distance, I almost didn’t see it myself.” Nathalie stared at it for a minute, then put her half-formed bouquet aside and stood. “I’m going to go pick it,” she said, reaching for her cloak.

“At this hour?” Her youngest sister Meline frowned at the table. “We have more than enough flowers. And we should try to finish soon. You need your rest for tomorrow.”

“Oh, let her go,” Penny replied. “It’s the first thing she’s wanted for her wedding since she got engaged.”

Nathalie nodded in gratitude as she hurried out of their cottage. It occurred to Nathalie that Penny was right: she hadn’t cared about anything to do with the wedding until she’d seen that rose. But now, for some reason, Nathalie simply had to have it.

Nathalie’s thoughts narrowed as she ran across the field, and all other thoughts-of her wedding, of her sisters, of anything that was not the rose-faded into the background of her mind. Nathalie hardly noticed as her feet left the field and stepped into the forest, as she began to make her way through the dark wood, and as she exited it once more and began to walk up a cobblestone path. It did not occur to Nathalie that there was no earthly way she could have possibly seen a rose from this distance to her cottage, through the woods, moonlight or no. Her focus stayed fixed on the rose, until finally she was upon it.

Without thinking, Nathalie reached forward and plucked it from its bush.

There was a stabbing pain, a trickle of blood, and a rush of wind. Nathalie felt some invisible force wrap around the very core of her and tighten until she could scarcely breathe. She fell to her knees and tried desperately to catch her breath. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

“What have you _done_?” roared an inhuman voice.

Nathalie looked up to see a great beast looming over her, something between a bull and a tiger, with golden fur and giant fangs. Only his eyes were human, but even those were cold and frightening, ice blue and full of rage. Nathalie gulped. “I… I didn’t mean… I just…”

“Get out. Get _out_!” The beast swiped a massive paw at her, and Nathalie recoiled in fear. “You’ve ruined everything!”

Trembling, Nathalie leapt to her feet and whirled around, intent on running straight back home, to her sisters and her fiance, and never thinking of this frightening place ever again. Instead, a heavy mist closed in front of her. Nathalie took two steps towards it, determined to make her way back home completely blind if necessary. Instead, the tightness returned to her chest and she fell to her knees once more. “Forgive me,” she said, trying but failing to keep her voice steady, “I don’t… I don’t seem to be able to leave.”

Nathalie heard a low growl behind her. “So be it,” the beast finally replied. “If you cannot leave, you can at least stay out of my sight.”

By the time Nathalie worked up the nerve to turn back around, the beast had gone.

* * *

For a long while, Nathalie simply stayed kneeling on the cobblestones. After a small eternity, she rose on unsteady legs. Nathalie took one step towards the fog, and again her chest began to tighten. With a heavy sigh, Nathalie turned her back on the mysterious boundary and looked at the garden. Beyond it was a grand estate, grander than her fiance’s, grander by far than any estate Nathalie had ever even visited, practically a castle.

Nathalie frowned. It was impossible that such a place could exist near her small village-within walking distance of her own cottage, at that-without Nathalie knowing about it. More than that, Nathalie was finally beginning to realize that it should have been impossible for her to have seen the rose from her home. She bent down and picked the rose back up, then dropped it into her apron pocket, chuckling slightly to herself. Nathalie had just seen a talking beast and a magical fog, and she was worried about how she’d seen a rose from too far away?

Nathalie made her way carefully in the dark, through the large garden towards the estate. If she was stuck here, she certainly wasn’t going to spend her nights sleeping outside, no matter how much her strange host objected to her presence. Nathalie figured she could find some couch to sleep on, and if the beast didn’t like it, he could leave the room. It would be easy for two people to avoid one another in a manor of this size.

Nathalie hesitated once she reached the grand front door. Should she knock or enter quietly? Which would be ruder? Before Nathalie could decide, the door swung silently open. Nathalie entered hesitantly, peering around, but there was nobody inside. As far as she could tell, the door had simply opened of its own volition.

Nathalie made her way carefully through the mansion. It was dark and empty, but even in the low candlelight Nathalie could tell it was extravagant. The walls were draped in fine tapestries and imposing portraits, the floors were deep mahogany. Nathalie looked up to see a chandelier as big as her bedroom, all fine filigree. As she squinted at it in the dark, it suddenly lit up, bathing the foyer in light. Nathalie gasped softly at the opulent finery which surrounded her.

Nathalie might have stayed there all night, just gawking at the entryway, if her stomach had not growled. Nathalie could have sworn she heard a laugh nearby, quickly muffled. Her cheeks turned red, and she began to explore once more. It was a lovely place to starve to death, Nathalie supposed, but she’d prefer to live at least long enough to get to the bottom of the mystery she found herself trapped in. Nathalie discovered several parlors and sitting rooms, all just as opulent and just as empty as the foyer, before finding a grand dining hall.

A warm fire roared in the fireplace near the head of the table, where exactly one place was set. This would have to be the dinner of the great beast Nathalie had angered. He had warned her to stay out of his sight, so perhaps it would be best to look instead for the kitchen, which should be nearby. As Nathalie turned to leave, however, the chair pulled out invitingly, all on its own, just as the door had opened earlier. Nathalie hesitated, but the tempting meal and her empty stomach got the better of her. She sat down, and felt some force on the chair push her seat in as she did so. Nathalie turned, but again there was no sign of a living soul.

Nathalie had never eaten a more delicious meal in all her life. Even before her mother had died, even before her father’s fortune had been lost, she had never eaten so well. Nathalie stuffed herself on chicken drenched in rich sauce, expertly roasted vegetables, and the softest, most fragrant bread she had ever tasted. “That was incredible,” she murmured, when she could no longer take another bite. Nathalie looked around, then said in a louder tone, “I don’t suppose there’s a chef around that I might thank?” She waited, but there was no response. Shrugging, Nathalie rose from the table and left the room.

Nathalie made her way back to the grand entryway and began to climb the elegant staircase. After her exhausting ordeal and her rich dinner, Nathalie was ready to drop right down on the floor and fall asleep in an instant, but she supposed she’d better at least try and keep out of the way of the beast. She reached the second floor and peered down the hallways in either direction. Down the east wing, Nathalie noticed a door swing open, so she walked over and entered. Inside was a lovely bedroom, probably larger than her family’s entire cottage, and within it a giant bed that looked as soft as a cloud. Nathalie sank into it at once, not bothering to undress or examine the room any further, and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

When Nathalie finally awoke, bright sunlight was streaming through the large bay windows of her new bedroom. For half a second, Nathalie supposed she must have imagined everything from last night, but then she opened her eyes. The bedroom was even more stunning in the daylight. Nathalie rose and rushed to the window. From here, she could see the estate’s garden below, and the forest beyond. It was a lovely garden, to be sure, but if Nathalie hadn’t known better, she wouldn’t have guessed there was anything magical about it. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out the rose that had summoned her to this beautiful, cursed place. It looked just like an ordinary red rose, except for the dried bits of Nathalie’s blood on its thorns. Nathalie couldn’t understand why she’d wanted it so badly last night, why getting to it had seemed so much more important than anything else. She glanced around the room and spotted a crystal stem vase on a small vanity table, and so placed the rose there.

Next to the table, a door swung open. Nathalie peered inside and saw a luxurious bathroom. There was a clawfoot tub in the middle of the room, filled with water that was scented with lavender and still steaming hot. Nathalie looked down at herself. Her dress was covered in splatters of mud from her journey through the field and forest last night, and wrinkled and odorous from being slept in. The rest of her, Nathalie supposed, was just as dirty. She began to remove her dress, then looked around suspiciously. “If there are any more invisible servants about, they’d better make themselves scarce,” she said sharply. Nathalie could have sworn she heard the sudden pitter-patter of scurrying feet behind her, and then the door closed once more on its own. Nathalie allowed herself a half-smirk before undressing and sliding into the tub.

When Nathalie finally emerged from the bathroom, still flushed from the warmth of the water, scrubbed clean from head to toe and wrapped in a giant fluffy towel, she felt like a new woman. No-she felt like herself once more. She had been too frightened and confused and exhausted last night to deal with any of it, but now Nathalie felt more than prepared to take on this unnatural manor and the beast that was its master. If he thought Nathalie would just meekly hide from him for as long as she was stuck here, he had another thing coming.

The door to the bedroom’s wardrobe had been left pointedly open. Nathalie examined the contents carefully. All the dresses within were finer than anything she’d worn in years. She selected the most practical-looking dress she could find, a modest burgundy piece with accents in gold thread. Next, Nathalie sat down at the vanity. She reached for the hairbrush, looked at herself in the mirror, and gasped.

Right at her left temple, amidst the ordinary black hair Nathalie had had all her life, was a shock of red. Nathalie touched it gingerly, but it felt no different from the rest of her hair. She glanced at the rose. They were the exact same shade of red. Frowning, Nathalie picked the brush back up and pulled her hair back into its usual bun, finding plenty of pins to aid her in a small drawer under the mirror.

Nathalie stepped into the hall and listened carefully. She heard nothing. She took a few tentative steps down the hallway, careful not to make a sound. Finally, she heard low murmurs coming from a room a few doors down. Slowly, quietly, she approached.

“... didn’t see her either, but she ate almost an entire loaf of his bread last night.” The voice was young and female-Nathalie was reminded of her youngest sister, Meline. “Juleka barely had enough time to air out a guest room, and she said the poor woman just fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow.”

“But where is she from?” a boy’s voice replied. “Who is she?”

“Nobody knows. I don’t think even your father-”

“My name is Nathalie,” Nathalie interrupted, tired of eavesdropping. Nathalie distinctly heard two gasps, but when she entered the sitting room she saw only a boy of about fifteen. He jumped practically a foot in the air when Nathalie entered. “Where’s the girl you were just speaking with?”

The boy’s face transformed into a mask of innocence. “What girl?”

Nathalie pursed her lips and fixed the boy with her iciest, most no-nonsense stare, the one she used on Meline when Meline was trying to get away with something. “Young man,” Nathalie said, “I woke up this morning to find that the most harrowing experience of my life was not, in fact, a nightmare, but completely and utterly real. I had better start getting some straight answers about it all, do you understand me? Now, who are you, what is this place, and what on earth is happening?”

The boy sighed. “I’m Adrien, and this is Marinette,” he said, nodding to the empty air beside him. “I’m not supposed to talk to the servants.”

“I see.” Nathalie looked at the spot next to Adrien, then turned back to him. “Are all the servants here invisible?” Adrien nodded. “Why?”

Adrien shrugged. “It’s the curse,” he said. “It’s been like this for…” he looked at the space next to him. “How long now?”

“Almost four years,” Marinette’s voice replied miserably. “Invisible and trapped for four years.”

“And anyone who comes here becomes trapped as well?”

Adrien frowned. “Nobody’s ever come here before,” he said. “You’re the first. I didn’t think anybody could make it through the mists. How did you do it? Are you some kind of sorceress?”

Nathalie shook her head. “I’m not anybody.” She thought for a moment. “Four years… but I’ve never seen this place, or even heard of it.”

“Never?” Adrien’s frown deepened. “We usually only hosted other nobility, but… before Mother died, she always opened the doors to everyone on Christmas. Lady Emilie Agreste? And my father, Lord Gabriel Agreste? You never attended their Christmas ball?”

“Never… or at least, if I have, I don’t remember it,” Nathalie said. “Could that be part of the curse? All memory of this place, of your family, erased from the outside world?”

“I don’t know,” Adrien replied. “I’ve asked Father about the curse countless times, but he won’t speak of it to me.”

“Your father? So he’s still alive?” Nathalie asked. “You mean there’s an adult around who knows what’s going on? Where is he?”

“You, um,” Adrien looked away, embarrassed. “You met him last night.”

Nathalie’s eyes widened in shock. “You must take after your mother,” she finally said.

“He wasn’t always… that’s the curse, too. It’s his curse, all of it, the rest of us are just caught up in it. He offended a sorceress who came here four years ago, and now,” Adrien gestured vaguely.

“I see.” It was clear to Nathalie she’d gotten all the answers she could get from this young man. “And where is your father now?”

* * *

Nathalie made her way carefully to the study in the east wing. She hesitated outside the doorway for just a moment, then knocked. There was a heavy pause. Finally, Nathalie heard a low growl of, “Enter,” and she opened the door.

The beast - _The master of the estate_ , Nathalie corrected herself mentally- did not look up as Nathalie entered the room. In the light of day, he was far less frightening, though still imposing. He was impeccably dressed, Nathalie was surprised to observe, and his hulking form was hunched over a book that looked to be a century old. A brittle page was caught gingerly between two large claws, and the bibliophile in Nathalie winced as he turned the page.

“Pardon me,” Nathalie said, in a tone of voice that was soft and respectful, but confident all the same. “I wanted to apologize for last night.”

“There’s no need,” Lord Gabriel replied brusquely, still not looking up. “I should not have lost my temper. Your hapless bumbling into this place was, I assume, entirely accidental?”

Nathalie pressed her lips together and ignored the insult. “If you’re asking if I meant to come here and trap myself in a cursed castle, then no, of course not.” She waited for Gabriel to continue, but he just continued to read in silence. “Actually,” Nathalie continued, noticing the hairs on Gabriel’s large neck bristle in annoyance at the new interruption, “I have half a mind to ask if you summoned me on purpose. I don’t think ‘hapless bumbling’, as you put it, would be enough to cross the mists, do you?”

“I do not,” Gabriel agreed begrudgingly.

“Considering how upset you were, though, I’m forced to assume summoning me was an accident on your part?”

The beast was silent for a while, for so long Nathalie almost thought he’d gone back to reading and had tuned her out entirely. “That is correct,” he said, breaking the heavy silence. “Very clever, to deduce that you were not the target of the rose.”

Nathalie hadn’t even deduced the rose had a specific target at all, but she took her wins where she found them. “Who was, if I may ask?”

“You may not.”

Nathalie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I already know more than you suppose. Your son-” now Gabriel finally looked up at Nathalie, narrowing his icy gaze upon her, “-explained to me, the, ah, the unusual nature of your predicament.”

Gabriel raised one large, bushy eyebrow. “My son does not know the unusual nature of my predicament,” he said cooly, “so I hardly see how he could have explained it to you.”

Nathalie frowned. “Forgive me, I just thought… he mentioned a curse.”

“My son knows of the curse, yes,” he admitted. “However, he knows nothing of how to break it.”

“How to-”

Gabriel slammed his book shut impatiently. “I will explain this once,” he said, “because it is clear that I will not have a moment’s peace until I do. After that, I expect to be left alone. Understood?” Nathalie nodded silently. “The witch only told me, you see. I haven’t the heart to tell my son. The one thing that can break the curse is true love. And who, do you suppose, my true love is?”

Nathalie felt a chill as realization hit her. “I believe your son mentioned a… a Lady Emilie?” Nathalie replied weakly.

“Very good,” Gabriel said, and now the bitterness in his voice was impossible to miss. “And do you know where Lady Emilie is?”

“In Heaven,” Nathalie whispered.

Gabriel’s monstrous features twisted with rage, ever so briefly. “Heaven is a fairy tale for children. My true love is dead,” he spat at Nathalie. “Now, I think, you finally understand the nature of my predicament.”

Nathalie nodded. “Yes.”

“And so, for the past three years,” Gabriel continued, “I have dedicated myself entirely to the task of bringing my dear Emilie back to life.”

Nathalie’s jaw dropped slightly. “That’s… that’s not…”

“Possible?” Gabriel scoffed. “I suppose curses and magic are not possible, either?”

“Fair point,” Nathalie admitted.

“In our youth, Emilie and I traveled the world collecting tomes of magic. It was hardly more than a hobby, a passing interest that we shared. In life, Emilie read them far more thoroughly than I did. Now, I scour each and every book for anything I can find, even though most of them are written in dead languages I barely remember learning as a boy. Last night, I thought I finally had it. The rose…” Gabriel took a deep breath and sighed heavily, his enormous shoulders heaving as he did so. “The rose was supposed to be a beacon to my Emilie, to guide her from the underworld back to the mortal realm. The rest of the spell was meant to bind her tightly to this realm, so death could not reclaim her. Instead, somehow, _you_ showed up and wandered straight into it. Now it seems the magic that was supposed to tie Emilie to the mortal world instead ties you to this estate. Perhaps when I finally break my own curse, yours will break as well, but in the meantime I’m afraid you’re as stuck as the rest of us.”

“That’s… quite a story,” Nathalie said.

Gabriel grunted in response, then reopened his book. “I believe we had an agreement, Mademoiselle…”

“Sancoeur.”

“Mademoiselle Sancoeur. You’ve heard my story, now you’ve agreed to leave me in peace.”

Nathalie began to exit, then turned back around. “What if I help you instead?”

“What?” Gabriel scowled, looking more beastlike than ever. “What makes you think you’d be of any use at all to me?”

“Quia scio Latin,” Nathalie replied immediately.

“You-” Gabriel looked up, startled.

“I am a scholar, my lord,” Nathalie said proudly. “Or… well, I’m as close as any woman from my village has ever come. Until today, I’ve read every book I’ve met. I am intelligent and organized. You need someone like me.”

Gabriel eyed her skeptically. “Why would you want to help me at all?”

“As you said, my lord, the sooner your curse is broken, the sooner mine is as well.”

It was hard to read the beast’s expression, as his features were heavily obscured by both fur and fangs, but Nathalie could have sworn she saw the hint of a smile. Slowly, he reached for a book on his desk, then handed it to Nathalie. “If we’re going to work together,” he said, “there’s no need to keep calling me, ‘my lord’. ‘Sir’ will do. Sit.”

Nathalie sat down, opened the ancient tome, and began to read. For the first time since she’d arrived, Nathalie felt her heart lighten.


	2. The Library

Many hours passed in silence before Gabriel and Nathalie were interrupted. “Father? Are you-oh!” Adrien looked at Nathalie in surprise as he entered the study. Nathalie looked up at him, craning her neck over a stack of books. The stacks around her had grown as the day went on, and now the tallest pile next to Nathalie threatened to topple as she turned. “Have you two been in here all day?” Adrien asked, confused. 

Nathalie glanced at the window and saw the sun had almost set. “I lost track of the time,” she said.

Adrien gave his father a look of reproach. “Father, Nathalie is our guest and she needs to eat.”

Adrien’s father did not look up from his own book. “I’m not stopping her,” he said simply.

“It’s my own fault, I lose myself when I’m reading,” Nathalie said honestly. “And these books are fascinating. I’ve never read anything like them.”

“What books are you reading?” Adrien asked, leaning over.

Gabriel slammed his book shut, and Adrien jumped back instinctively. “Thank you, Adrien, that will be all. I will escort Nathalie down to dinner shortly.”

Adrien blinked. “You will? You’re actually going to eat? With other people?” Gabriel raised one enormous eyebrow, and Adrien quickly left the room. Nathalie fixed the beast with a curious look.

“I may have fallen into the habit of taking meals during my research,” Gabriel said by way of explanation, only a touch sheepishly. “The boy is overreacting. He has that in common with his mother. Did you find anything of interest?”

Nathalie pointed to the smallest of the stacks around her. “These warrant further study,” she said. “I’ve only been skimming so far. You don’t seem to have organized your four years of research at all. I thought eliminating the useless books and separating them from the rest would be a good start.”

“Organization is not my strongest point,” Gabriel admitted. He stood, then offered Nathalie his arm. “I suppose you can’t organize anything if you starve to death. Come.”

Nathalie took Gabriel’s arm and let him lead her through the manor. “This is very well made,” she said in surprise, running a finger over the fine cloth of his white jacket. “You must have some very skilled invisible tailors.”

Gabriel grunted, and Nathalie couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or amused. “A few,” he admitted. “The pattern, however, I had to devise myself from scratch. Fortunately, fashion is something of an interest. My current shape has been an… interesting challenge.”

“You rose to it well, sir.” Now that Nathalie was bothering to look, she was surprised at how well the beast’s clothes fit him, how much they did to make him look more like a man and less like a beast.

They reached the dining hall, and Adrien grinned as they entered. Nathalie sat across from him, and Gabriel took his seat at the head of the table. The table was set once more with an amazing spread of roasted meats, cheeses, and bread still steaming from the oven. Nathalie murmured a quick ‘thank you’ to the ether before digging in eagerly. It occurred to her that she’d have to learn to restrain herself, if she was going to be eating food like this every day for the foreseeable future, or she’d quickly make herself sick.

The three of them ate in silence for a few minutes. It was Adrien who finally broke it, clearing his throat awkwardly. “So, Nathalie, why don’t you tell us about yourself?”

Nathalie shrugged as she reached for another bread roll. “There isn’t much to tell,” she said. 

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” Adrien said eagerly. “It’s been so long since we’ve had anyone new here, I bet everything about you will be fascinating. Right, Father?”

“You get your interest in other people from your mother, Adrien,” Gabriel replied.

“Please,” Adrien said, turning back to Nathalie and politely ignoring his father’s comment. “Anything at all you wish to share.”

Nathalie patted her mouth dry with a napkin made of finer cloth than any dress she’d owned in years. “Oh, very well,” she said. “I’m a merchant’s daughter, the oldest of four girls.”

“Your parents were trying for a boy, then?” Gabriel asked matter-of-factly.

“Father!”

Nathalie grinned. “Something like that, though they never admitted as much to us. Eventually my father gave up and taught me to manage his books instead, and to keep records of all his transactions. I suppose I would have had a far more boring childhood, if my mother had ever borne a son.”

“Your mother must love having so many girls, at least,” Adrien said.

“I think she did,” Nathalie agreed. “I never asked.”

Adrien noticed Nathalie’s switch to the past tense, and his smile faltered. “Oh. I’m sorry. Is she…”

“A sudden fever, many years ago,” Nathalie replied easily. “Right before my father’s fortunes took a turn for the worse.”

“I’m so sorry,” Adrien said.

Nathalie shook her head. “I try not to waste time feeling sorry for myself,” she said. “On the whole, I’ve had a good life.”

Adrien nodded. “And what do you do now? I mean, that is, before you were, you know, stuck here.”

“Read, mostly,” Nathalie replied. “Manage my father’s accounts. Tutor local children when making ends meet is too difficult on his profits alone.”

“Oh!” Adrien brightened. “Maybe you could… I mean, if you don’t mind, of course you’re not a servant here, but I haven’t had a tutor in so long.”

“I would be happy to help you with your studies,” Nathalie said. She glanced at Gabriel, who had continued eating during the conversation and had not reacted to its current turn. “Unless you think I’ll be too busy, sir.”

“Busy?” Adrien frowned. “With what?”

“Nathalie has kindly offered to assist me in organizing my books,” Gabriel said, before Nathalie could answer herself. “By all means, if you’d like to tutor my son as well, I would greatly appreciate it. We are fortunate indeed, it seems, to have you.”

“How _do_ we have you, anyway?” Adrien asked. Gabriel and Nathalie both looked at him, caught off-guard at the question despite its obviousness. “I mean… well, it just doesn’t make any sense, someone new appearing after four years. Do you have any idea?”

Nathalie shook her head. “Before last night, my life was perfectly ordinary,” she replied.

“But what happened last night, exactly?”

Nathalie glanced at Gabriel and read the warning in his eyes. “I wanted a rose,” she told Adrien simply. “I saw one in your garden, picked it, and when I went to leave, the mists closed in.”

“Oh!” Adrien said. “You like roses? Father should take you on a proper tour of the gardens, then.”

“I’m indifferent to roses,” Nathalie said honestly. “I just wanted a pop of red for my wedding bouquet.”

“Your…” Adrien’s jaw dropped. “Your wedding?” he repeated.

Next to Adrien, Gabriel looked similarly stunned. “Nathalie, I had no idea that you…”

“That I what?” Nathalie asked, amused. “That I had my own life before last night?”

Gabriel looked away. “Something like that. It didn’t occur to me that this curse might have separated you from true love.” Nathalie resisted the urge to snort derisively. “Your fiancé must be out of his mind with worry.”

“Oh, I don’t suppose he’s my fiancé anymore,” Nathalie replied breezily, “considering the wedding was supposed to take place about five hours ago.”

“Your wedding was _today_?” Adrien’s eyes widened even more with shock. “Father, we have to do something!”

“Do what?” Gabriel snapped. Adrien shrank back. “If I knew of any way out of this place, don’t you think I would have used it four years ago? Wouldn’t I have gotten you out of here by now?”

“Please don’t worry yourselves,” Nathalie said, feeling she’d best nip whatever was happening in the bud. “If you must know, it was an arranged marriage, and one I was not particularly enthusiastic about.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “You do not love your fiancé?”

“I hardly know him,” Nathalie said matter-of-factly. “My father has four daughters and a mountain of debt. Going along with his match seemed preferable to poverty and spinsterhood, that is all.”

Adrien frowned. “But what will happen now?”

“Oh…” Nathalie considered the question for a while. “Well, with any luck everyone will assume I’ve died. Attacked by wolves at the edge of the forest, perhaps, or tripped and fallen into the river in the dark.”

Adrien gasped. “That’s terrible!”

Nathalie shrugged. “Better than the whole village thinking I’ve abandoned a nobleman at the altar and ruined my sisters’ chances for marriages of their own. Perhaps my fiance will even be willing to marry one of them.”

“But-”

“Adrien,” Gabriel interrupted firmly, “I believe we’ve pried into Nathalie’s personal life quite enough for one evening.”

Adrien looked like he wanted to protest, but he simply nodded. “You’re right, Father. I’m sorry, Nathalie.”

“Don’t be, really,” Nathalie replied. “Being cursed is… not ideal,” she admitted, “but from the little I’ve seen of this place, as cursed estates go I could hardly have picked a nicer one.”

Adrien frowned. “If you’re sure,” he said, unconvinced. “Well, if you love books so much, you should be sure to visit the library.”

“The library?” Nathalie repeated, confused. “Isn’t that where I’ve been all day?”

“That was my personal study,” Gabriel replied. “I’ll take you to the actual library tomorrow. I suspect most of our work will be conducted there.”

Nathalie nodded. “I look forward to it, sir.”

* * *

Nathalie took one step into the library and gasped. The room was larger than any other Nathalie had ever seen in her life, and every inch of every surface was covered in books. The shelves went so high that multiple ladders dotted the room and the rows seemed to stretch on forever. “This is…” Nathalie took a few steps then stopped, overwhelmed. “I could spend the rest of my life here reading and never finish,” she said in awe. “I’ve never seen so many books in one place in all my life.”

“You’re free to spend the rest of your life here reading, if that would please you,” Gabriel replied, clearly amused.

Nathalie smiled. “I’ll still help you with your research, never fear,” she said. “Honestly, I’m quite looking forward to the work. The books I skimmed for you yesterday were some of the most fascinating I’ve ever seen.”

Gabriel nodded. “Come.” He brushed past Nathalie and headed for the back of the library. “The occult books are kept back here.”

Nathalie followed him through the stacks, to the furthest corner of the room. The shelves began to grow more disorganized as they went, and were a jumbled mess by the time they reached their destination. Nathalie pressed her lips together in disapproval. “How did you expect to make any progress like this?” she asked. “How do you know which books contain what? How do you even know which ones you’ve studied already, and which ones you still need to examine?”

“As I said yesterday, organization is not my strongest suit,” the beast replied defensively. “And my efforts have grown somewhat frantic, as the task grew more and more hopeless.”

“It’s not hopeless,” Nathalie assured him. “My arrival here proves that.”

“Your arrival was a total disaster,” Gabriel replied harshly.

Nathalie shook her head, unperturbed by his gruff demeanor. “Not so, sir,” she said. “My arrival proves the mists can be penetrated. If that’s so, then breaking this curse is not nearly as impossible as it seems.”

Gabriel considered this. “I suppose,” he finally said begrudgingly.

“Perhaps the spell you cast only needs a slight adjustment,” Nathalie continued. “I assume you at least kept track of that book?”

Gabriel nodded, then picked up a dusty tome from a low table. He flipped through it, and once more Nathalie held her breath as his large, intimidating claws grasped the pages. “Here.”

Nathalie took the book from the beast and began to read. “This is in our language,” she said, surprised.

“As I said, my ability to translate the older tomes is limited.”

Nathalie nodded, and continued to study the book. “ _Rose and thorn, blood and vine_ ,” she read aloud, “ _seek my heart, return what’s mine. Shed the blood, pay the toll, find the halves, make them whole_.” The air around them felt heavy as Nathalie finished, and she took a deep breath. “That’s quite the spell, sir.”

Gabriel grunted noncommittally. “Why didn’t it work?”

“It’s hard to say. What does it mean when it says, ‘shed the blood’?”

Gabriel held up one of his large, furry paws. Nathalie squinted and saw a faint pinprick in the pad of one toe. “I pricked myself on the rose to initiate the spell,” he replied. “Emilie was supposed to be pricked as well, to complete the binding.”

Nathalie held up her own finger and showed Gabriel the twin pinprick. “I suppose that part of it worked as intended, at least.”

“How fortunate for us both,” Gabriel replied dryly.

Nathalie sat down in a large armchair and curled her legs up under herself before beginning to read. Gabriel waited patiently through long stretches of silence, occasionally broken by questions from Nathalie regarding how he had prepared the spell, when and how he had done each step, and so on.

Finally, after a very long stretch of silence, Nathalie closed the book and let out a heavy sigh. “If you made any error, sir, I cannot find it. As far as I can tell, you performed this spell perfectly to the letter. I can see no reason why it summoned me instead of your late wife.”

“You are disappointed I am not incompetent?”

“I am disappointed I cannot recommend an easy fix, sir,” Nathalie replied, frowning at the book on her lap. “If only there had been some small mistake, you could simply fix it and cast the spell again. That you performed it perfectly suggests there is something else at play.”

“Such as?”

Nathalie gestured to the large window nearby, which overlooked the garden. “This spell is not meant to be performed inside another spell. Perhaps the mists interfered with the beacon, warping it somehow.”

Gabriel considered this, then walked to the window and looked out at the grounds below. “If the mists interfered with one spell…”

“Then they may interfere with any other spell we try,” Nathalie agreed somberly.

A low growl sounded from deep within Gabriel’s chest, so low that Nathalie did not realize what she was hearing at first. It was easy to forget, when she was distracted by books and research, that her new master was no longer a man. The growl grew louder, and Gabriel’s lip began to curl ever so slightly, revealing his pointed fangs, before he regained his composure. “Can you research the mists themselves?” he asked Nathalie.

“If I can do it anywhere, I can do it here,” Nathalie replied, looking around the grand library. “I believe every book in the world might be in here.”

Gabriel let out an amused chuff. “Not quite, but your confidence is encouraging all the same.”

Nathalie studied the beast for a moment, then put the book aside. He continued to look out the window, half lost in thought. He did not notice Nathalie until her small hand was placed upon his impossibly large shoulder. Gabriel looked up, surprised. “I will do everything in my power to aid you, sir,” Nathalie told him, looking him right in the eye.

There was no fear in Nathalie’s eyes, Gabriel was surprised to note, and no hesitation in her touch. Whatever terrible impression he’d made on her the night they met had already been erased, and now only a quiet determination remained. He nodded. “Very well,” he said. “Then let us begin.”

* * *

Before long, Nathalie’s days fell into an easy pattern. She grew accustomed to living in a grand estate, to having servants, to devoting her time entirely to academic pursuits. She found the magical research fascinating, and the beast a surprisingly adept research partner, once Nathalie had explained the basics of skimming and cataloguing to him. As the weeks went on, the pair found a number of promising leads in books that Gabriel either had been unable to translate before Nathalie’s arrival, or that he had too quickly dismissed.

When Nathalie wasn’t researching ways to break through magical curses, she was tutoring Adrien. Tutoring back in her village had been a necessary burden, for the most part, but with Adrien it was different. The children of Nathalie’s fellow townspeople were largely uninterested in their studies, and typically put off by her stern demeanor. Adrien, on the other hand, was eager to learn, and his enthusiasm was infectious. Nathalie was surprised when she realized she looked forward to their daily sessions, and there were many nights she stayed up late preparing his lesson plans.

Nathalie was coaching Adrien through the finer points of algebra one early afternoon when, for the first time, Adrien’s attention would not stop wandering.

“Adrien?” Adrien looked up from the page of problems Nathalie had given him to work on. “May I see your work?”

“Oh, um,” Adrien frowned as Nathalie looked over his page, which was almost entirely empty. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly.

Nathalie frowned. “This isn’t like you, Adrien. Is something the matter?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, it’s just,” Adrien sighed. “It’s snowing.”

Nathalie blinked, surprised. “It is?” She stood up and walked to the window at the far end of the sitting room Adrien prefered for his studies. Sure enough, the air was thick with fluffy snowflakes, and the gentle sloping hill at the far end of the property was already covered in a blanket of white. “My goodness,” Nathalie murmured.

Adrien joined her at the window. “I was just thinking about going out to play with the others, that’s all,” he said. ‘The others’, Nathalie knew by now, meant the other teenagers on the estate, of which Nathalie had been surprised to learn there were quite a few. Some of them, like Marinette, were the children of servants, while others were servants themselves. All of them, to Adrien’s dismay, were considered ‘unsuitable company’ by his father.

Nathalie squinted at the hill. Through the thick veil of snow, she could see footprints appearing out of nowhere in the snow, and a sled that seemed to ride itself down the hill over and over again. For all the strangeness that Nathalie had adjusted to over the past few months, for every truly bizarre part of Nathalie’s new life that she now took for granted, she never did think she’d get used to the invisibility of everyone who wasn’t Gabriel or Adrien.

Adrien, on the other hand, never seemed bothered at all by it, and the poor boy was desperate for companionship. Nathalie only hesitated a moment. “Why don’t we cut your lesson short today, Adrien?”

Adrien looked at her, surprised. “Really?”

“You can finish your work after dinner. You should go sledding now, while it’s still light out.”

Adrien’s eyes lit up, but he looked out the window uncertainly. “Are you sure? My father-”

“I will speak with your father,” Nathalie said firmly. “Go.”

Adrien needed no more coaxing. He flashed Nathalie a quick smile full of gratitude, and then he was out of the room in an instant. Nathalie looked back out the window and watched the snow fall, briefly hypnotized, before gathering up Adrien’s things in a neat pile on the table and leaving to search for the master of the estate.

Nathalie found Gabriel in his personal study. He looked up from his book as she entered. “Nathalie. I expected you to be with Adrien for another hour or two.”

“I gave Adrien the afternoon off,” Nathalie replied. “He’s gone sledding.”

Gabriel frowned. “Is it safe for him to go sledding alone?”

“He’s not alone,” Nathalie said.

Gabriel let out a low growl, one that by now Nathalie was able to identify as a growl of mere annoyance and not true anger. “Adrien is a noble. He should be socializing with nobility, not peasants.”

Nathalie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew Gabriel’s snobbery was masking a deeper pain. “He should,” she agreed. “There are many things Adrien should have, many opportunities, that are not currently an option for him. In the meantime, he deserves to have a little fun.”

Gabriel’s growl deepened, but Nathalie merely waited patiently. “Oh, very well,” he finally said. “One afternoon only.”

Nathalie smiled gently. “Thank you, sir. I’m sure your son will be grateful.” Nathalie caught sight of the snow once more outside the window of Gabriel’s study, and her smile faded.

“Something troubles you?” Gabriel asked.

“Hmm? Oh, no,” Nathalie said, somewhat taken aback. Gabriel usually didn’t ask personal questions. “Well…”

“Well?”

Nathalie sighed. “It’s snowing, sir.”

Gabriel glanced out the window, then looked back at Nathalie, nonplussed. “What of it?”

“It was still summer when I arrived here.”

Gabriel nodded, understanding dawning. “Ah. I see.”

“I knew time was passing, of course, I just didn’t realize quite how much, I suppose. It’s nothing, please don’t concern yourself.”

Gabriel studied her face for a moment, then looked back out the window. “Get your cloak,” he commanded. “There should be a red one in your wardrobe. Meet me in the foyer in five minutes.”

“Sir?”

“We’re a bit old for sledding,” Gabriel continued, “but the manor’s grounds are uniquely beautiful when covered in snowfall. I would be remiss if I did not escort you to see for yourself.”

Nathalie felt a warmth in her chest. “That would be lovely,” she said, touched.


	3. The Ball

The summer air was heavy and pleasantly warm, despite the lateness of the hour. Still, Nathalie had worn her cloak, more for the sense of security it provided than for its warmth. Her task was simple, but not easy. The sack of salt she held was easily over a full stone, and had probably been close to two when she began. It grew lighter as she carefully scattered the salt around the castle, of course, but the night also grew darker as she went, and it was difficult to see her work. Nathalie was careful, terribly careful, for if she missed even a single spot the entire circle was rendered useless. By the time she returned to Gabriel’s side, almost half an hour had passed.

“Is it done?” Gabriel asked in a low growl.

Nathalie nodded, then leaned over to examine his work. The summoning circle had been impeccably drawn, and Nathalie could find no error in Gabriel’s work. She reached for the pile of jewelry in the center and picked up a sapphire drop earring. “I think I saw these painted in a portrait, in the eastern hall. They were Emilie’s, weren’t they?”

Gabriel grunted an affirmation. “And her mother’s before her.”

“It’s a shame to sacrifice them.” Nathalie dropped the earring back on the pile.

“If we succeed in resurrecting Emilie, I can commission another set for her. I can commission an entire gown made entirely of sapphires, if she likes. Or perhaps I’ll commission one for you, to thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”

Nathalie bit back a grin. “That sounds uncomfortable, sir.” She straightened. “Are you ready?”

“Are you?” Gabriel glanced back towards the manor. “You can still go back to the castle. It would be safer.”

Nathalie shook her head. “It’s far too dangerous to allow you to cast the summoning by yourself. With two people, it will be stable.” Nathalie took a step towards her spot, then stopped. “Are you absolutely certain you don’t want to tell Adrien what we’re doing?”

“The boy has enough to concern him. We can tell him once we’ve succeeded for good.”

Nathalie frowned. “That might not be for a long while, sir. The akumas we summon tonight, the shadow moths, they’ll eat through the mists, but the rest of the curse will remain until we find a way to break it.”

“Then we had better get started.” Gabriel handed Nathalie the tome containing the akuma summoning spell, and Nathalie squinted in the dark. Fortunately, the spell required a full moon, and so there was just enough light for Nathalie to read.

Nathalie began to recite the Latin, and after a few seconds of listening to her Gabriel joined in. Nathalie carefully dropped the book outside the circle, then took each of Gabriel’s large paws in her hands. Their recitations began to sync, until it felt as though Nathalie and Gabriel were chanting with a single voice.

The shadow moths began to appear between them, first one, then a few, then a flock. They didn’t remain in the summoning circle for long, darting between Gabriel and Nathalie and then sweeping over the grounds. Most of them went straight for the mists, but a few flew towards the castle. Those akumas, however, hit an invisible wall once they reached the circle of salt Nathalie had laid out.

Nathalie and Gabriel continued to chant as the akumas grew in number, and as the pile of jewels slowly began to dwindle. Out of the corner of her eye, Nathalie observed the shadow moths that still hadn’t gone for the mists. The akumas were supernatural scavengers, moths that ate magic instead of wool, and so most were drawn immediately to the mists, the most powerful magic on the grounds. Still, there was plenty of magic in the castle, and so Gabriel had insisted on casting a protection spell around it first, an order Nathalie was only too happy to obey. The akumas were easily repelled by Nathalie’s spell, and most of them had given up and followed their brethren to the mists.

Only when the last gemstone finally vanished, leaving only a pile of empty settings and chains, did Gabriel and Nathalie cease their chanting. Nathalie released Gabriel’s paws, somewhat reluctantly, then stepped out of the circle to come beside him. “They’ve almost exhausted themselves entirely,” she said, nodding towards the mists. “Once they’re used up, we might be able to walk right-ah!”

Nathalie never saw the akuma that attacked her. One moment everything was fine, the next there was a horrid pain at her temple, a shadow that ripped at her fingers and sapped her energy as she tried desperately to brush it away. Her efforts seemed only to attract the few remaining akumas, another and another, until Nathalie no longer had the strength to stand.

Nathalie was too overcome to register Gabriel’s roar of fear and anger. She barely noticed him catch her before she collapsed to the ground. Slowly, Nathalie realized the akumas had stopped attacking her. She became aware of Gabriel’s hulking form surrounding her, shielding her. Her temple was pressed firmly to his chest, and the rest of her was enveloped in his large arms. Nathalie tried to take a deep breath, but she was shaking with fear too much. She closed her eyes. _I’m safe, I’m safe, Gabriel is protecting me._

It wasn’t until Nathalie stopped trembling that she realized Gabriel was shaking, too. He was suppressing his grunts of pain as much as he could, but Nathalie was so close to him now she could feel every shudder, every hiss. It seemed to Nathalie that she spent an eternity locked in Gabriel’s arms.

Finally, Gabriel took a deep, heaving breath, and released Nathalie. She looked around, but there wasn’t an akuma in sight. Nathalie lifted her hand and placed it gently on the side of Gabriel’s face. “Are you alright?” she whispered, half-terrified of the answer.

Gabriel grunted. “Fine. I have a thicker hide than you do.”

“Why did they…” Nathalie trailed off as Gabriel took one claw and gingerly lifted a lock of Nathalie’s hair. Her bun, usually immaculate, was now almost entirely destroyed by the akuma attack. In the moonlight, Nathalie could see that Gabriel was lifting the shock of red in her hair, the remnant of the spell Gabriel had cast almost a full year earlier.

“They’re drawn to magic,” Gabriel reminded her. “It occurred to me that I might be a target, but you… I didn’t realize the spell still lingers in you. I never should have allowed you to-”

“It’s fine,” Nathalie interrupted gently. “You kept me safe. Did it work?”

Gabriel and Nathalie both looked at the mists. They still surrounded the castle grounds, but Nathalie was certain they looked weaker, that she could see the forests beyond them if she squinted just right. Gabriel rose to his feet, then helped Nathalie to stand. “There’s only one way to find out,” he said.

Hand in hand, they approached the mists. One step, then another, then another. Nathalie stepped past the point where she’d always collapsed breathless, feeling nothing now.

It was Gabriel who was stopped first, falling to his knees. “Nathalie,” he rasped. She knelt by him, but he shook his head. “Keep going, if you can.”

Nathalie nodded and stood back up. She took another few steps before the magic gripped her lungs, so close to the other side of the mists she could see the forest clearly now. She was so close, so achingly close to freedom. Just one more step, and-

Nathalie fell to her knees gasping. She took one last look and then, with a heavy heart, she turned back towards the castle.

* * *

“Trouble sleeping?” Adrien asked the next morning at breakfast.

Nathalie blinked, bleary-eyed. “A bit,” she admitted. “Your father and I were up late researching.”

Adrien frowned, but he’d long since learned not to ask what that research entailed. “Do you need to go back to bed? We can begin later, if you like.”

Nathalie shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

“Father shouldn’t work you so hard. He should-”

“I should what, now?” a disheveled Gabriel asked, entering the dining hall abruptly.

“Father!” Adrien jumped up, startled. “You’re joining us for breakfast?”

“It’s hardly the first time I’ve eaten breakfast, Adrien, there’s no need to act so surprised.” Gabriel sat down at the head of the table, a spot Adrien and Nathalie always instinctively left available even though Gabriel rarely appeared at meals. “What were you saying I should do?”

“Oh, um, just that,” Adrien glanced at Nathalie, “that Nathalie is our guest, not our servant, and maybe you could, you know, go a bit easier-”

“Please, Adrien, don’t worry yourself, I’m fine,” Nathalie insisted. “Your father looks worse than I do.”

Adrien looked back and forth between Gabriel and Nathalie skeptically. “Just because he’s working himself half to death doesn’t mean he needs to work you half to death, too.”

“You’re quite right, Adrien,” Gabriel replied calmly.

Adrien blinked, surprised. “I am?”

“He is?” Nathalie asked.

“Last night, I asked far too much of you. It will not happen again.”

“But, sir,” Nathalie protested, “it was fine. _I’m_ fine. I want to help you.”

“Nathalie.” Somehow, the beast managed to speak gently in spite of the natural boom of his voice. “You have already done so much for us.”

Adrien nodded emphatically. “Father’s right. We don’t appreciate you enough. In fact…” he glanced nervously at his father. “I was thinking… I was thinking we should have a ball,” he said in a rush.

Gabriel raised one of his bushy eyebrows. “A ball? With what guests?”

“Just the three of us,” Adrien said. “It’s almost Nathalie’s anniversary here, and she deserves to be celebrated.”

Gabriel studied his son for a moment and then he turned to Nathalie. “Well? What say you?”

Nathalie shrugged. “I don’t have anything to wear.”

Gabriel’s mouth was incapable of smiling, but after nearly a year Nathalie had grown adept at reading his unique facial expressions, and the look on his face now was downright amused. “I think I can assist you in that regard. Is that your only concern?”

“I…” Nathalie trailed off, then looked at Adrien. “Oh, I don’t know.”

“Please, Nathalie?” Adrien asked. “It would be so much fun, you’d see. We could fix up the ballroom like we used to, before the curse. You’ll love it, I promise.”

Nathalie was silent for a moment. “One condition,” she finally said.

“Anything,” Adrien said quickly, before his father could answer.

“Your friend Marinette designs and makes my dress.”

“Marinette?” Gabriel repeated, offended. “Why her?”

“Because I don’t want you to see it until the night of the ball,” Nathalie answered, the corners of her mouth picking up. “A girl likes to have some surprises, after all.”

Gabriel looked taken aback, but after a moment he nodded. “Very well,” he said. “I look forward to being surprised.”

* * *

“I can’t wear this,” Nathalie said.

Nathalie couldn’t see Marinette, of course, but she heard her scandalized gasp and it was easy to imagine the young teenager’s look of indignation. Of all of Adrien’s unsanctioned friends, the baker’s daughter was possibly the biggest walking contradiction. Wracked with self-doubt in one second and bursting with confidence in the next, Nathalie wasn’t quite sure which Marinette would respond now.

“What do you mean, you can’t wear it?” Marinette demanded. “It’s _perfect_.” That was a relief, it was Confidente Marinette tonight. That would make rejection easier.

“It’s too nice,” Nathalie objected. “Simple, I said simple over and over. I won’t recognize myself wearing that.”

“Oh, that’s ridiculous,” Marinette huffed. “You’ve never been to a ball, and I’ve seen dozens. Trust me, for an Agreste event this _is_ simple. This is going to be the plainest dress tonight.”

“It’s going to be the only dress tonight.”

Nathalie heard Marinette let out an irritated sigh. A moment later, an invisible hand gently took her own. “You deserve this,” Marinette said gently. “You really have no idea what it was like, before you got here, what the master… Well, just trust me, you deserve to be celebrated. You deserve to be beautiful.”

Nathalie bit her lip, then took a step back so she could take in the off-the-shoulder ball gown in all its glory. It was a glorious royal blue, with bright pink embroidery that should have clashed but somehow didn’t. Elegant peacock feather patterns danced around the hem of the skirt and across the bodice. It was a gown fit for a princess, and a merchant’s daughter had no business wearing it.

“Just try it on,” Marinette coaxed, pulling Nathalie back.

“I don’t…”

“Yes, you do. Juleka, help me get her into this, would you?” Nathalie’s throat let out one last squeak of protest, but she didn’t resist as the invisible servants began to get her into her gown.

Before Nathalie could get a good look at herself, she was guided firmly into a chair and she felt her pins being pulled from her bun. “Oh, I don’t-”

“Just let Juleka work her magic,” Marinette insisted. “Trust us.”

Nathalie waited nervously as she felt her hair cascade suddenly across her bare shoulders, then slowly get put up once more, bit by bit. There was a brush at her cheeks, then across her eyelids, and then the feeling of a comb being pressed against her temple. “There,” Marinette said, satisfied.

Nathalie stood and walked to her wardrobe mirror. The second she caught sight of herself she froze. Her hair was half-up in a small bun, half down in gentle waves around her shoulders. A blue and pink feather fastener with a small bit of netting was tucked into her hair, matching her dress perfectly. The dress… Nathalie had never before felt much of anything wearing a dress, not even her wedding dress, but this, oh, in this she felt as though she were floating.

The strangest thing, however, was that despite everything, Nathalie did recognize herself. The dress, the hair, the makeup, they all came together to soften her edges without dulling them. They highlighted facets of herself that were previously untouched, that was all. They created nothing that had not already been there.

“You’re going to wear this,” Marinette said firmly. Nathalie nodded, still staring at herself in the mirror, speechless. “You’re going to thank Juleka for doing your hair and makeup, and then you’re going to leave your room and go to the ballroom.”

Nathalie nodded again. “Yes, I… yes, thank you, both of you, this is wonderful. I can’t begin to-”

“Then don’t,” Marinette said, amused. “Go.”

Nathalie gave the girls a quick smile, then left the room and began to make her way across the manor. Just walking down the hall in the gown made her feel indescribably elegant. The skirt billowed out all around her and swayed with every step. Nathalie’s heart was beating a touch faster by the time she reached the ballroom doors. She took a moment to take a breath and brace herself, then entered.

Nathalie had been in the Agreste ballroom only a handful of times since she’d come to live here. It was never in use, so there was no real reason to visit it. Still, Nathalie thought she’d known what to expect of it. She hadn’t imagined how much grander the room would look when it was actually decked out for a celebration.

Nathalie stepped out, entering at the top of the room’s sweeping staircase, then stopped just so she could take it all in. The giant space was flooded in soft candlelight, from both the giant chandelier in the center of the room and the elaborate sconces all along the walls. There was a grand piano in the far corner, and shimmering gold gauze draped everywhere. Her gaze swept the room. Below her, Adrien waved up. He was wearing an elegant black suit with green accents, and was grinning ear to ear. And next to him…

Next to Adrien was Gabriel, decked in a stunning purple waistcoat and staring up at Nathalie as though he’d never seen her before, as though he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. Nathalie felt a flutter in her stomach, an electric current in her skin, and suddenly she couldn’t keep from smiling. She descended the staircase slowly, careful not to trip in her new gown, and she didn’t think either one of them took a breath until she was at the bottom.

“Nathalie.” Gabriel’s voice was all breath, barely more than a whisper.

“Sir.” Nathalie reached for Gabriel’s arm and ran her fingers over the fabric of his coat. “This is stunning work, your best yet I think. Perhaps I should have had you make my dress after all.”

Gabriel shook his head. “No,” he said firmly. “This is…” He looked Nathalie up and down, his gaze taking in the full sight of her, and he cleared his throat. For the first time since Nathalie had met the beast, he actually seemed nervous. “Well. The surprise was well worth any loss in quality.” Nathalie grinned. “It seems you have your gown of sapphires after all. Is it as uncomfortable as you feared?”

Nathalie shook her head. “I’ve never worn anything that fit so well. That girl is wasted in the kitchens.”

Gabriel nodded. “Perhaps one day-”

“Nathalie!” Adrien interrupted them with a hug, throwing his arms around Nathalie eagerly. “I’m so glad you’re here! Come, look, the food’s over here.” Nathalie shot Gabriel one last smile before allowing Adrien to pull her over to the banquet table.

A year ago, Nathalie never would have imagined she’d grow accustomed to the grand food the Agreste kitchens served every night, or that they could ever outdo themselves, but now both were true. She gingerly picked up a deviled quail egg and took a bite. She closed her eyes, savoring it, and only briefly wondered yet again how a cursed castle so removed from the outside world always managed to have the freshest meats and ingredients, a question she’d long since stopped bothering to ask.

Gabriel came to stand beside her, his hulking form casting a long shadow over Nathalie in the candlelight. “I think you’d best fill your plate, before my son claims the entire buffet,” he said dryly.

Nathalie grinned and watched Adrien pile more and more food on his plate. “Oh, he’s a growing boy,” she said fondly. “He must be at least three inches taller now than he was when I arrived.”

Nathalie sensed Gabriel go still beside her, and she wondered if she’d crossed a line by drawing attention to how much Adrien was growing up inside the curse. But then he simply sighed. “He looks more like his mother every day,” Gabriel said, and to Nathalie’s surprise there was none of the pain in his voice that there was when he usually alluded to Emilie, none of the bitterness. Gabriel caught Nathalie looking at him, and they exchanged a brief smile, or the closest thing Gabriel’s jaw could manage, before filling their own plates and joining Adrien at the set table.

The conversation was surprisingly easy, despite the formality of the setting, and filled with laughter. Before she knew it, Nathalie’s plate was empty. “This has been wonderful, thank you,” she said.

Adrien laughed. “It’s not over,” he said. “I haven’t given you your present yet.”

Nathalie blinked. “Present?”

“It wouldn’t be much of a ball without music, would it?” Adrien got up and quickly hurried to the far side of the ballroom, where the grand piano stood. Nathalie shot Gabriel a quizzical look, but his face revealed nothing. Adrien began to play, and a few measures in Nathalie gasped softly.

“You recognize the tune?” Gabriel asked. “Adrien mentioned he’d taught himself a song for tonight, but he didn’t say what-”

“My mother,” Nathalie explained, her voice breaking slightly. “My mother used to sing this to us. I think I mentioned it to Adrien once offhand, but that was at least six months ago. I can’t believe he remembered.”

“Who could forget anything about you?” Gabriel asked. Nathalie looked at him, surprised. “Well, I mean, that is, you don’t share many personal details,” he quickly added. “It’s not exactly difficult to keep track of them.”

Nathalie smiled, then closed her eyes and let the familiar tune wash over her. She began to sway back and forth in her seat, keeping in time easily with the music. When she opened her eyes, there was a large clawed paw in front of her, inviting. She stared at it for a moment, then looked at Gabriel.

“It wouldn’t be much of a ball without dancing, would it?”

Nathalie placed her hand in Gabriel’s and let him lead her away from the table, towards the open center of the room. He placed his free hand around her waist, holding her gently and securely, and Nathalie remembered what it had felt like a few weeks ago, being held and protected by him. She felt that familiar safety now, even though there was no longer any danger. It seemed Gabriel’s arms felt safe no matter where they were.

Gabriel took one step, then another, then another, and Nathalie followed them all. He was surprisingly nimble on his feet, considering they were the clawed feet of a monster. Nathalie closed her eyes for a moment, and found it was still as natural to follow Gabriel’s lead as it was to breathe. They waltzed around the ballroom, dancing so lightly that Nathalie felt again that she was floating.

_I wish this song would never end._

The thought came unbidden, unexpected, unwelcome. Nathalie’s eyes flew open, the sudden reality of her situation bringing her crashing back to Earth. She took a deep breath, then another.

“Nathalie?” Gabriel didn’t miss a step, and neither did Nathalie, but he was staring down at her now with a face full of concern as they danced. Nathalie looked up at him and tried to keep her rising terror from showing on her face. “Is something the matter?”

 _I could stay here forever with you_ , Nathalie thought. She knew in an instant that she’d felt this way for a long time now, that she’d been suppressing her feelings, but now that she was aware of them there was no chance of going back to denial. _I’m in love with you. I hope we never break your curse._

With a new wave of horror, Nathalie realized that the spell Gabriel had cast a year ago hadn’t failed at all. Somehow, the magic of it had known Nathalie would fall in love with Gabriel if she was summoned to him, and so summon her it had. But while Nathalie now knew with a terrible certainty that Gabriel was the love of her life, she knew just as well that the love of Gabriel’s life, the only love of his life, would always be Emilie. How was Nathalie supposed to keep helping Gabriel now? How was she supposed to just put aside the enormity of her feelings and keep trying to resurrect the dead wife of the man she loved?

But if she didn’t, Nathalie suddenly realized, if she didn’t find some way to put her feelings aside, she’d jeopardize everything they’d both worked for over the past year. She’d jeopardize any chance they had of breaking the curse.

It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Without warning, Nathalie broke away from Gabriel and ran for the nearest exit.

* * *

The ballroom’s doors led to a small pavilion overlooking the gardens. Nathalie breathed in the night air deeply. Slowly she felt her senses return to her. She crossed the cobblestones and sat at a small bench. The flowers were beautiful in the moonlight, and the stars danced in the sky like diamonds. Nathalie loved this place deeply, far more than she’d loved any other home she’d ever had. She let out a soft sigh, and let the reality of her circumstances settle in her heart. If she loved this place, if she loved the people in it, if she loved Gabriel and Adrien, then she would do everything she could to break the curse. Her feelings didn’t matter, and so she wouldn’t let them get in her way. There was an odd comfort in accepting that.

“Nathalie?”

Nathalie turned and saw Gabriel approaching. “Oh, sir, forgive me,” she said quickly. “I know that was rude, I shouldn’t have-”

“Don’t apologize.” Gabriel sat down beside her and looked out over the gardens. “I should be apologizing to you. I’ve been a fool.”

Nathalie felt her heart catch in her throat, and for a split second she imagined him saying that he’d been a fool to ignore her, that it was her he loved and not Emilie at all. _Stop it_ , she mentally scolded herself. “Sir?”

“Celebrating the anniversary of your arrival,” Gabriel explained. “It was idiotic, I see that now. But you have to understand, your arrival here was nothing short of a miracle.” Gabriel reached for her hand, and Nathalie let him take it. “You have brought so much into our lives. I would be lost without you, Nathalie.”

 _Any affection he feels for you is only because you’re helping him bring Emilie back_ , Nathalie reminded herself.

“And so it seemed obvious, to celebrate you,” Gabriel continued. “But now I see the truth. For us it was a miracle, but for you it must have been a nightmare. Why in God’s name would you ever want to celebrate the anniversary of your imprisonment, of your damnation?”

Nathalie shook her head. “No, Gabriel, that’s not it at all. I love this place. I love-” Nathalie stopped herself just in time, “Adrien, and… oh, everything. I’m happy to be here, truly.”

Gabriel looked skeptical. “Then what was it that upset you so? Was it something I-”

“No,” Nathalie insisted. “Nothing you did. Tonight was perfect. I just,” Nathalie bit her lip and quickly wracked her brain for something, anything, other than the truth, “just miss my sisters, that’s all. I wish they could be here, I wish I could see them.”

It wasn’t even a lie, not really. Nathalie did miss her sisters, now more than ever. She could just imagine how they’d react to seeing her with Gabriel. Celeste would tease, of course, and Meline would gush over her dress, and Penny, well. Penny would take one look at Nathalie and Gabriel together and she would know exactly what was in Nathalie’s heart. But she’d keep it to herself until they were alone, and then she’d know just what to say to ease the ache in Nathalie’s chest. Nathalie would have given anything to be able to talk to Penny now, just for a minute.

“I see,” Gabriel said. “In that case… in that case, it would seem my gift for you tonight is rather fortuitous.”

“Your gift?” Nathalie repeated. “Oh, sir, you’ve done more than enough to-”

“This mirror,” Gabriel said, ignoring Nathalie’s protests as he pulled out a silver filigree hand mirror, “was enchanted long ago to show its wielder anyone, anywhere in the world. Since the curse, it has been unable to penetrate the mists. However, since our small victory a few weeks ago, it has begun working once more.” Gabriel handed the mirror to Nathalie. “I hope it brings you some comfort.”

“Oh,” Nathalie breathed. She gently trailed a finger over its detail, then held it up. “Show me my sister,” she commanded. “Show me Penny.”

Nathalie’s image in the mirror shimmered, then faded. Slowly, a new image began to form. Nathalie smiled when she recognized her sister. “That’s her,” she said happily, “that’s Penny, she…” Nathalie trailed off and frowned.

“What’s the matter?”

“She’s at a bedside,” Nathalie said. She squinted at the image as more details began to come into focus. “She’s… that’s our father. Why is he so pale?” Nathalie’s eyes widened in horror. “He’s sick,” she whispered. “How can he be sick?”

“I don’t know,” Gabriel said. “Nathalie, I’m so sorry, I only wanted to-”

“Penny. Penny, can you hear me?” Nathalie raised her voice. “Penny, what’s happening?”

“She can’t hear you,” Gabriel said apologetically. “The mirror only goes one way.”

“He’s dying,” Nathalie whispered. “My father is dying, and I’m not there. I’ll never see him again.”

“We’ll attack the mists again,” Gabriel said, his tone urgent. “I’ll summon another flock of akumas, you’ll stay safe inside this time until I can-“

“No,” Nathalie interrupted. “No, I’m getting out tonight.” She looked towards the mists and set her jaw. “I almost made it through before. Now that I know what’s at stake, I’ll make it all the way. I have to.” She stood and took one step towards the stone staircase that led to the grounds, then turned back to look at Gabriel.

“Go,” the beast said.

Nathalie gave him a sad smile. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything.” She leaned down and kissed his furry cheek. Then, before her resolve could weaken, Nathalie turned and hurried for the mists as fast as she could.

Nathalie sped into a proper run as she approached, clenching her fists and pumping her arms, only realizing then that she was still holding Gabriel’s gift. She hit the mists at a full sprint and took a deep breath right as she reached the spot where she’d collapsed before. Nathalie expected to feel the magic close around her lungs once more like a vice, and braced herself accordingly, so when the mists offered no resistance she shot through like a cannon. Surprised, she tripped. When Nathalie fell to her knees, she landed on uncursed soil.

Nathalie took a deep breath, and realized it was the first breath of free air she’d taken in a year. She glanced over her shoulder. The mists were more fractured than ever, and she could clearly see the grand manor through them, but they were still intact. Why hadn’t they stopped her from leaving as they had countless times before?

_Now it seems the magic that was supposed to tie Emilie to the mortal world instead ties you to this estate._

Of course. The mists no longer imprisoned Nathalie because there was no longer any need. Nathalie was bound to the manor, to Gabriel, by something far stronger than magic, and she always would be. No matter how far she went, no matter how long she stayed away, a part of Nathalie’s heart would always be here.

Nathalie took a few moments to collect herself, and then she got up and began to walk home.


	4. The Sacrifice

Nathalie shivered. It was cold, and dark, she was lost, she was trying to find Gabriel but he was gone, he was…

No. No, none of that was right.

There was a gentle touch at Nathalie’s brow, and the pressure on her chest increased ever so slightly. Blankets. Nathalie was covered in blankets. And it wasn’t dark at all, her eyes were just closed. Nathalie had been sleeping.

Slowly, Nathalie blinked. The room she was in was small, and bathed in warm candlelight. It took her a moment to realize that it was her own room, her old room back home. “How…” Nathalie only got the one word out before her throat, dry as a bone, gave up on her.

“Nathalie!” There was a face in front of her, Penny’s face, full of love and concern. “You’re awake! Here, drink this. Don’t talk, don’t sit up.”

Too weak to protest, Nathalie let her sister nurse her for a few minutes, pouring water and broth down her throat. “Thank you,” Nathalie whispered. “Father?”

Penny smiled. “That was the first thing you asked about when you came bursting through the door, back from the dead,” she told Nathalie. “But you were unconscious by the time he reached you. Do you remember?” 

Nathalie shook her head. “How long…”

“Three days,” Penny told her. “You’ve been asleep for three days now.”

Nathalie’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

Penny gave Nathalie a look that was equal parts chiding and pitying. “Near as we could tell, you ran almost ten miles through the woods at night, barefoot and half-naked and in the middle of a rainstorm. It’s no wonder you fell ill.”

Nathalie tried to remember her journey back home. It had started raining soon after she’d begun, she could remember that now. Half-naked, that seemed a bit unfair, although the ball gown had left her shoulders bare… but no, now that she thought on it, Nathalie could remember how the branches and brambles of the woods had torn at her skirt until there was nothing left but shreds. Perhaps Penny’s description wasn’t so far off.

“And of course,” Penny continued, “that’s not counting whatever horrible ordeal you’ve suffered this past year. You poor thing.”

Nathalie shook her head slowly. “It wasn’t like that, it was…” she frowned. “How did you know how far I traveled?”

Penny studied Nathalie’s face for a moment, trying to gauge how much Nathalie could stand in her present condition. “Father took some of the men and they followed your trail,” she said gently. “He recovered at once, when he saw you were alive.” She lifted a wet cloth from Nathalie’s forehead and replaced it with another before continuing. “It didn’t take them long to realize it was the same trail as the one left by the shadows that attacked a few weeks ago.”

Nathalie’s blood ran cold, and she began to shiver once more. “Shadows? What shadows?” she asked, dreading the answer.

“Demonic, ravenous things,” Penny muttered, shaking her head. “They attacked the entire town, but our family took the worst of it. I wasn’t sure Father would recover… that is, until you turned up.” Penny smiled again. “Oh, Nathalie, it’s a miracle!” Penny hugged Nathalie eagerly.

“My fault,” Nathalie whispered. “The shadows were my fault. I summoned them. I’m so sorry, I had no idea they’d make it past the mists.”

“Shhh,” Penny said. “You’re delirious, you don’t know what you’re saying. You need rest.”

“But you don’t understand,” Nathalie protested, taking her sister’s hand. “I was trying to break free, I just wanted to…” Nathalie trailed off as she realized something felt off about her sister’s hand. Nathalie held it up, and the gold band on Penny’s fourth finger glinted in the candlelight. “Oh,” she whispered.

Penny’s face went a shade paler. “Nathalie, I never would have… I mean, if I’d known, if any of us had known, but we were so sure you’d been killed somehow, we knew you’d never abandon your family! And Lord Stone was so kind to us while we mourned you, and he insisted on paying off the debts he’d agreed to cover, without asking for anything in return. We got to know each other better, one thing led to another, and…” Penny bit her lip nervously. “Do you hate me?”

Nathalie smiled up at her sister. “No, of course not,” she assured Penny. “I’m happy for you, truly. Where is your husband now?”

Penny hesitated. “He’s with Father,” she finally said.

“And where is Father?” Nathalie asked.

“You should get some sleep. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal.”

“No, I haven’t,” Nathalie protested. “You keep saying that, but you have no idea what I’ve been through.”

“Oh, Nathalie, it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together,” Penny said. “They saw where you’d escaped from, they saw through the cracks in the magic around that cursed place.” Penny put a hand on Nathalie’s shoulder comfortingly. “And then of course, we realized you must have been enchanted that night a year ago, bewitched by the same fearsome beast who summoned those horrible shadows. You poor thing, you must have been so strong to finally escape him!”

Nathalie shook her head, panic rising in her chest. “No, Penny, it wasn’t like that at all, he’s not like that! He’s nice, he’s… well, no, he isn’t nice, he’s a bit of an ass actually, but he’s good, he’d never hurt anybody, he didn't mean to-“

“Shhhh,” Penny interrupted. “You’re still recovering from whatever spell he put you under. But you don’t have to worry about anything anymore, Nathalie. The men are taking care of everything, they’ll make sure that what happened to you won’t happen to any other girl ever again.”

Nathalie felt another chill run through her bones, but she could tell Penny wouldn’t be satisfied until Nathalie stopped asking questions and rested. She glanced around the room, and folded on a chair in the corner Nathalie spotted the dress she’d worn on her journey back home, now reduced practically to rags. And on top of the dress...on top of the dress lay the mirror.

Nathalie looked back up at Penny and smiled. “You’re right, I need my rest,” she said meekly.

Penny smiled back down at her. “Good girl,” she said, kissing Nathalie’s forehead. “Call out if you need anything. I’ll send in Celeste and Meline when you’re feeling stronger.”

“Thank you,” Nathalie said. She waited for a few minutes after Penny left, making sure her sister wasn’t coming back, before pushing her covers aside and hurrying to Gabriel’s gift. “Show me my father,” she whispered urgently.

The picture blurred, then slowly came back into focus. There was Nathalie’s father, looking far healthier than he had the last time he’d appeared in Nathalie’s mirror. Nathalie’s relief, however, was short-lived. Her father was speaking to someone, and though Nathalie couldn’t hear him she could see that his face was filled with fury. The image began to pull out as it came into focus. There was Lord Stone beside her father, and other men as well, other men that Nathalie recognized from their town. They were outside, but despite the lateness of the hour it was easy to see their faces in the light cast by their torches.

A mob, Nathalie realized with a start. Nathalie was looking at a mob.

* * *

Nathalie dressed as quickly and as quietly as she was able, making sure to wear sturdy, protective clothing that would stand up to a ten mile hike better than her ball gown and heels had. She knew she was still ill, but there was nothing else for Nathalie to do. Someone had to warn Gabriel.

Nathalie was surprised at how scratchy and uncomfortable she now found her old clothes. She’d dressed as modestly as she’d been able this past year, but even the most modest items in her wardrobe at the manor were still of a far finer quality than anything Nathalie’s family could afford. Somehow, without realizing it, Nathalie had grown accustomed to wealth.

Sneaking out of the house without Penny hearing was easy, and in a matter of minutes Nathalie was outside, wrapped in a dark cloak, and on her way back. _Back home_ , Nathalie thought, before she could help herself.

This was now the third time Nathalie had made this journey, but she’d been enchanted the first time and desperate the second. Now she could truly appreciate just how long and difficult a path it was to traverse. Still, it was easier this time than it had been before, thanks in part to the fact that a large and angry mob had trampled down the path before her.

By the time Nathalie reached the end of the woods, the sky was beginning to turn pink in the east. It would be daybreak soon. Nathalie wondered briefly if the villagers would be easier to reason with in the light of day. Perhaps she could explain that she hadn’t been intentionally kidnapped, perhaps she could explain that Gabriel was just as much of a victim as she had been.

Nathalie saw flickering light near the mists, and drew just close enough to see the mob gathered around a fire in a makeshift encampment. She stayed out of sight and listened long enough to realize that attempting to reason with them was too risky. If they thought her enchanted, as Penny did, they’d stop her from warning Gabriel. Nathalie would come back, she’d happily reunite with her father and explain everything, but not until everyone she loved was safe.

Nathalie passed back through the mists easily. She breathed a sigh of relief on the other side, and took comfort from being back in the familiar gardens. She hurried up to the manor and opened the door herself, not bothering to knock. “Gabriel!” she shouted, her voice echoing in the grand foyer. “Adrien! Anybody!”

Nathalie heard footsteps, faint at first then louder and faster, and Adrien appeared at the top of the staircase. “Nathalie!” He flew down, taking the steps two at a time, and in a second his arms were wrapped around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “You’re back! Father said you’d gone, that you would never return!”

Nathalie hugged Adrien back just as tightly. “Your father’s quite the optimist,” she said wryly.

“You didn’t say goodbye,” Adrien whispered.

“Oh, Adrien, I’m sorry,” Nathalie said. “It all happened so suddenly. Of course I was going to come back. But…” She swallowed hard, then let Adrien go so she could look him in the eye. “I’m afraid I’m back with terrible news. The people of my town, they’ve got the wrong idea, I didn’t get a chance to explain to anyone what happened, and now they’re… well, come see.” Nathalie gestured for Adrien to follow her to one of the giant windows nearby, and gestured to the mob, easily seen through the cracks in the mists. “The mists are weaker now,” she told Adrien. “It won’t be long before they break through. Before that happens we have to secure the manor, we have to keep everyone safe. Once we do, your father can speak to them. When they see he’s not really a monster, they’ll calm down.”

The words felt weak even as Nathalie said them, and she knew neither of them was convinced. Adrien looked at her skeptically. “Getting Father to speak to them might be an issue,” he said.

“I know he’s stubborn, but-”

“It’s the anniversary of the curse,” Adrien interrupted. “He always shuts himself up in the west wing, locks the door, responds to no one.” Adrien set his jaw and looked out the window. “I’ll talk to them,” he said, full of determination.

“Adrien, no,” Nathalie said immediately. “Your father wouldn’t want that. A fifteen year old boy shouldn’t have to deal with-”

“I’m sixteen,” Adrien said defensively.

Nathalie frowned. “Since when?”

“Since,” Adrien glanced out the window again, towards the brightening sky. “About five hours ago, I suppose?”

“Oh! Happy birthday, then,” Nathalie replied. “Why didn’t I know it was your birthday?”

Adrien shrugged. “It’s not a big deal,” he said. “You’d only been here a few days last year, and you were still, you know, adjusting. It didn’t seem important to bring up.”

“Of course it’s important, Adrien, it’s…” Nathalie trailed off as a few things suddenly snapped into place in her mind. “You said it’s the anniversary of the curse,” she said slowly. “You were all cursed on your birthday?” Adrien nodded. “Your father insulted a visiting sorceress on your birthday? Is that right?”

Adrien shrugged. “I mean…none of us knew she was a sorceress, obviously. We just thought she was a traveller in need of a meal and a place to sleep. And ‘insulted’ is a bit strong,” he added. “He just didn’t come down to dinner, that’s all.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Nathalie muttered. “That _idiot_.”

Adrien frowned. “Nathalie?”

“Bar the doors,” Nathalie said to Adrien firmly. “Don’t open them for anything, don’t try to reason with anybody, just stay safe, understand?” She began to hurry up the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Adrien asked, confused.

“To shout some sense into your father,” Nathalie replied firmly. “It’s high time someone did.”

* * *

Nathalie pounded her fist against the locked door. “Gabriel! Gabriel! It’s Nathalie! Open the door right this instant! Gabri-oh.” The beast opened the door mid-pound, and Nathalie just barely managed to keep from pounding her fist right in his face. Gabriel looked down at Nathalie as though he didn’t recognize her, then abruptly turned and walked back into the room. Nathalie followed, not waiting for an invitation. “Well? Nothing to say to me?”

“What are you doing back here, Nathalie?” Gabriel asked, his voice strained. “You escaped this prison. You no longer have any business here.”

“I came back to warn you,” Nathalie snapped. “There’s an angry mob of my kinsmen just outside the mists convinced you’re an evil beastly sorcerer who’s going to enchant and abduct their daughters if they don’t tear you apart with their bare hands first. I thought maybe you’d want to know.”

Gabriel was silent for a while. “Let them come,” he finally muttered. “Perhaps it would be for the best. It might break this wretched curse once and for all. Adrien would finally be free.”

“Adrien. I’m so glad you brought him up.” Nathalie crossed her arms. “When were you going to tell me it was his birthday, the night you were cursed?”

Gabriel didn’t turn around, and as Nathalie’s eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room she saw he was staring at a giant gold portrait of Emilie. “Was it? I’d forgotten. What of it?”

“It was his birthday,” Nathalie repeated, her anger growing, “and you couldn’t even be bothered to come down to dinner? And it never occurred to you that maybe _that’s_ why you were cursed?”

“I never came to dinner back then,” he muttered. “Emilie had just died.”

“But Adrien was still alive!” Nathalie snapped. “And he’s still alive now, he’s been alive all this time, for five years inside this curse, growing up, and you’re missing it all because you’re too obsessed with a dead wife to pay any attention to a living son!”

“Enough!” Gabriel whirled on Nathalie, practically snarling, but Nathalie held her ground and continued to glare up at him. “You were quite happy to help me in my obsession, if I recall your year here correctly,” he growled. “In fact, the moment we switched focus onto you, you couldn’t escape this place fast enough! So what good did it do me, to finally begin to pay attention to the living?”

Nathalie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I came _back_!” she exclaimed. “I was always going to come back, you idiot!”

“Why the hell would you-” Gabriel was cut off by a loud crash, and the sounds of angry shouting. “Adrien,” he said. All traces of anger were gone from his voice, and now there was only terror.

“I told him to bar the door,” Nathalie whispered. “I told him not to-”

Gabriel pushed past Nathalie and began to run towards the sounds of chaos. Nathalie followed as fast as she could, but she wasn’t nearly as quick as the beast. He reached the balcony overlooking the foyer in a matter of seconds and let out a furious roar that brought the fighting beneath him to a sudden halt. Nathalie reached his side and looked down in alarm. The men of her town were all below, most locked in battle with invisible opponents. The only one who wasn’t…

“Lord Stone,” Nathalie called down, “release that boy at once!”

“Nathalie!” Nathalie’s father looked up at her in shock, then glared at Gabriel. “How dare you imprison my daughter once more?”

“Nobody imprisoned me, Father,” Nathalie said quickly, before Gabriel could respond. “I came back to warn him, to explain everything. You’re all making a terrible mistake!” She turned to Gabriel. “Tell them!”

“Let go of my son,” Gabriel growled at Lord Stone, “and perhaps I’ll allow you to escape this place with your life.”

In response, Lord Stone pulled Adrien closer and held a knife to his throat before Adrien could react. “You stole away my fiancée on the eve of our wedding,” Lord Stone replied. “Do you deny it?”

“I’m sorry, Nathalie,” Adrien said. “I thought I could talk to them, I thought maybe-”

“It’s alright, Adrien,” Nathalie said gently. “It’s all going to be fine. Nobody’s going to do anything rash. Look,” she stepped around Gabriel and began to walk down the stairs, “nobody’s holding me hostage. There’s no need for this, just let the boy go and-”

The moment Nathalie was in reach, her father grabbed her roughly, hugging her close. Nathalie hugged her father back, but she kept her eyes locked on Adrien.

“You have Nathalie back,” Gabriel growled. “Release my son. Now.”

Lord Stone kept the knife pressed to Adrien’s throat. “And what’s to stop you from killing us all once I let him go?” he demanded. “Perhaps I should keep him for a year, as you kept Nathalie.”

“Let him go,” Nathalie insisted. She tried to pull away from her father, but he held her fast, and now other men around them were helping to restrain her. “Please, none of you understand, this is all wrong!”

“Even now, you keep her bewitched!” Nathalie’s father shouted angrily at Gabriel. “Have you no decency? Release my daughter from your terrible spell at once!” The mob began to grow angry and animated once more, and as Lord Stone was jostled by the crowd a spot of red appeared at Adrien’s throat.

Gabriel let out an enraged roar, then leapt over the balcony and jumped straight down, right next to Stone and Adrien. In the blink of an eye, he’d ripped the two apart and shoved Adrien back towards the stairs to safety.

There was a glint of silver, and then a blinding light.

Nathalie wrenched out of her father’s grasp before her vision returned and rushed to where she’d seen the beast fall. “Gabriel?” Nathalie felt his familiar waistcoat, and her fingers came away wet with blood. “Oh God, don’t move, it’s going to be alright, we’ll get a doctor, we’ll… Gabriel?” As Nathalie’s vision cleared, she realized she was staring not at a familiar beast, but a man she did not recognize.

“Nathalie,” the man said weakly, “get… Adrien… safe.”

Nathalie looked up. Adrien was on the stairs, completely unharmed and staring down at the pair of them in horror. Lord Stone was making no move to recapture him, or to finish his attack on Gabriel. “That’s Lord Agreste,” he whispered. The mob around them began to murmur in amazement, and as Nathalie looked around she realized she could now see the servants as well, people who Nathalie had never actually seen before but who she still instinctively recognized after getting to know them over the past year. The fighting had completely stopped, and servants and townsmen alike were all staring in wonder at Nathalie.

No, not at Nathalie. At Gabriel.

Nathalie turned her attention back to Gabriel. Nothing else mattered now. “Adrien’s safe,” she whispered reassuringly. “Nobody’s going to hurt him now. Adrien, come here.”

The crowd parted at once for Adrien, and he rushed to his father’s side. “Father?”

“I’m fine,” Gabriel insisted, but his voice was growing weaker by the second. “Thick… hide.” Blinking back tears, Nathalie wordlessly took Gabriel’s hand and held it up to his face, so that he could clearly see its pale and hairless state. He stared for a moment in disbelief, then let out a rattled chuckle and looked at Adrien. “Of course,” he whispered. “True love. The answer all along. Foolish to not realize it sooner. At least it’s not too late.”

Adrien frowned. “Too late for what?”

“To tell you how much I love you,” Gabriel whispered. “So proud of the man you’ve become.”

“Stop talking like that,” Adrien said, a note of panic rising in his voice. “We’ll… there must be some way to-“

“Nathalie,” Gabriel interrupted. “Look after him. Promise.”

“Of course,” Nathalie managed to say, just barely holding back her sobs. “I’d do anything for you, sir.”

Gabriel smiled and closed his eyes. “I know. Never deserved it. Wish I could… return the favor.” Gabriel let out one last rattled breath and went still.

“Doctor,” Adrien said. “We have to get a doctor.” He got to his feet and whirled on the mob. “Are any of you a doctor?” he demanded. There was no response. “Well? Nothing to say for yourselves, now that you’re done attacking my home and murdering my father?”

“We didn’t know,” Nathalie’s father said, horrified. “He… he was a monster, we had to-“

“No,” Nathalie said, getting to her feet. “No, no, no, it’s not ending like this. I won’t let it.” She began to march towards the stairs, and once more the crowd parted wordlessly. Nathalie climbed the stairs, speeding up as she went, and she took off at a run once she’d reached the top.

For the first time in Nathalie’s life, she wasn’t thinking clear or rational thoughts. She didn’t know what she was doing or why, she didn’t know what her plan was. All she knew was that she would not accept Gabriel’s death. Nathalie didn’t realize what she was about to do until her feet carried her back to her room and her eyes fell upon the rose.

Nathalie grabbed the rose from its vase. She ran out of her room, back down the hall, and nearly flew down the stairs. She grasped it tightly as she ran, and felt a tiny bit of relief as the thorns dug into her palm, drawing blood. “Rose and thorn, blood and vine,” she muttered quickly, as she reached Gabriel’s body, “seek my heart, return what’s mine.” She grabbed Gabriel’s hand and pushed the rose into it, wrapping his fingers around the stem and squeezing them tight. “Shed the blood, pay the toll, find the halves, make them whole.”

A trickle of blood ran down from Gabriel’s hand and mixed with Nathalie’s. She felt a surge of magic, but Gabriel’s eyes remained closed. “Rose and thorn, blood and vine, seek my heart, return what’s mine,” Nathalie repeated. “Seek my heart, return what’s mine. Return what’s mine. You’re _mine_ , Gabriel, now come back to me!”

Gabriel inhaled sharply and jolted up, his eyes flying open. He looked at Nathalie, frowning in confusion, then looked down at the rose in his bleeding hand. “Oh,” he said.

“Father!” Adrien exclaimed. He knelt down and hugged Gabriel tightly. Gabriel returned the hug, wrapping his arms around his son tenderly. “You’re alive? You’re all right?”

“Completely,” Gabriel said. He pulled away to look at Nathalie. “You brought me back,” he said simply.

“I did say I’d do anything for you,” Nathalie replied, giving Gabriel a hesitant smile.

“Dare I hope this means what I think it does?” Gabriel asked. “After all, I know this spell.” He held the rose up.

“You summoned me with it once, sir,” Nathalie said. “I was merely returning the favor.”

Gabriel looked into Nathalie’s eyes, then reached forward and placed his hand on her cheek. “You are the most remarkable woman,” he murmured, “and I could never repay everything you’ve given me, even if I should spend the rest of my life trying. But if you’d permit me, I would still very much like to try.” Nathalie nodded happily, and Gabriel pulled her into a deep and tender kiss.


	5. Epilogue

Nathalie made it about three hours into her marriage before losing her husband.

The engagement had been a whirlwind, the wedding ceremony a happy blur, and now the reception was in full swing. The Agreste ballroom was a sight to behold. True, Nathalie had seen it decorated as elegantly as possible that night she’d realized she was in love with Gabriel, but there was really no comparing that dance to this. The hall was filled with overjoyed guests, dining and dancing alongside the manor’s many servants, all now visible and thrilled to celebrate both the end of their curse and their master’s marriage alike.

Nathalie scanned the hall one last time, just in case she’d missed Gabriel. He was so much easier to miss now, after all. But no, he wasn’t at the banquet table, or trapped in conversation with any of Nathalie’s more overbearing relatives. He wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

Nathalie leaned over towards Penny. “Cover for me,” she murmured, and her sister gave her a happy nod. Nathalie got up quickly and quietly from the table and exited through the doors to the gardens before anyone could catch her.

Once outside, she took a deep breath of fresh air. Nobody had ever warned Nathalie how busy the happiest day of her life would be, how grateful she’d feel for just one moment to herself. No wonder Gabriel had finally ducked out.

Nathalie made her way down the stone steps to the Agreste gardens, no longer at their peak now that autumn was upon them, but still a sight to behold. She walked the winding stones, not bothering to check for Gabriel down any of the side paths. Nathalie knew exactly where he’d be.

A calm came over Nathalie as she reached the stone statue of Emile and, seated at a bench just below, Gabriel. He looked over his shoulder as he heard Nathalie approach, then gave her a small smile and gestured for her to join him.

“I’m not interrupting?” Nathalie asked, pushing her bustle aside so as to fit on the bench while wearing her wedding dress.

Gabriel shook his head. “I was just updating Emilie,” he said. He looked back at the statue and nodded towards Nathalie. “As I was just saying, her dress is adequate, even if she didn’t allow me to design it.”

Nathalie smiled. “We’re lucky Marinette was available to design it at all, now that she’s Paris’ most up and coming fashion student. It was good of you to send her.”

“Hmm,” Gabriel grunted in reply. Nathalie leaned her head against his shoulder, then immediately lifted it again. He frowned at her. “Are you alright?”

“Fine.” Nathalie’s cheeks went a touch pink. “I was just a little startled, that’s all. I keep expecting your shoulders to be broader.”

“Of course,” Gabriel said dryly. “I cannot imagine what a difficult transition this has been for you.”

Nathalie sighed dramatically. “You’re just so _thin_.”

“Well, it’s too late to back out now. You’re stuck with me.”

“Is the wedding binding if the groom runs off halfway through the reception?”

Gabriel scowled. “We invited far too many people. Half of France is here.”

“Oh, the burdens of nobility.”

“I still think we should have drawn the line at inviting the man who murdered me, at the very least.”

Nathalie smiled. “He’s your brother-in-law, now, you have to get along.” Nathalie glanced up at the statue and her smile faded. “In all seriousness, if you need more time to yourself-”

“No.” Gabriel stood, then held a hand out to Nathalie and helped her to her feet. “I may prefer balls when it’s just the two of us, but we have the rest of our lives together for those. Today, let us celebrate with the rest of the world.” Gabriel took one last look at Emilie, then turned and began to lead Nathalie, arm in arm, back to the manor.

“I wish I could have met her,” Nathalie said, her voice small. “She must have been an incredible woman.”

“She was,” Gabriel agreed. It was still strange to Nathalie, to hear Gabriel talk about Emilie without a trace of sorrow or bitterness in his voice, but she was beginning to grow used to it. “She would have been in awe of you, I think. As I am.” Gabriel was silent for a moment. “I wonder if she didn’t meet you, in her own way,” he murmured.

Nathalie’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“The more I think about it,” Gabriel said, “the more certain I am that somehow Emilie sent you to me, the night we met. You healed our family too perfectly to have come here by chance or accident.”

Nathalie felt a warmth in her chest. “It’s a lovely thought.” She wrapped her arm around her husband’s waist, and together they walked back home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This was written for the GabeNath Mini Bang 2020 event, which paired authors and artists for joint projects. The stunning accompanying art for this fic can be found [here](https://retsukige.tumblr.com/post/619192824151375872/the-rose-and-the-thorn-writer-miraculouspaon).


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